List of lighthouses in Scotland

This is a list of lighthouses in Scotland. The Northern Lighthouse Board, from which much of the information is derived,^[1] are responsible for most lighthouses in Scotland but have handed over responsibility in the major estuaries to the port authorities. Many of the more minor lights are not shown. A lighthouse that is no longer operating is indicated by the date of closure in the operated by column. Where two dates are shown, the lighthouse has been rebuilt.

Nearly all the lighthouses in this list were designed by and most were built by four generations of one family, including Thomas Smith, who was both the stepfather and father-in-law of Robert Stevenson. Robert's sons and grandsons not only built most of the lights, often under the most appalling of conditions, but pioneered many of the improvements in lighting and signalling that cut down the enormous loss of life in shipping around the coasts of Scotland.^[2]

The table may be sorted by any column by clicking on the heading.

Lighthouses

Name	Image	Area coordinates	Island / mainland	Year built	Designed / built by	Operated by / closed	Tower height	Focal height	Range
Ailsa Craig Lighthouse		South Ayrshire 55°15′6″N 5°6′24″W	Ailsa Craig	1886	Thomas Stevenson, David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	11[3]	18[4]	17[4]
Ardnamurchan Lighthouse		Highland 56°43′38″N 6°13′34″W[5]	mainland	1849	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[6]	35[6]	55[4]	24[4]
Auskerry Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 59°1′33″N 2°34′20″W[7]	Auskerry	1866[8]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	34[8]	34[4]	20[4]
Barns Ness Lighthouse		East Lothian[9] 55°59′14″N 2°26′43″W[10]	mainland	1899	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Deactivated 2005	37[11]	36[11]	10[11]
Barra Head Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 56°47′7″N 7°39′13″W[12]	Barra Head	1833[13]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[13]	18[13]	208[4][14][13]	18[4][14][13]
Bass Rock Lighthouse		East Lothian[15] 56°4′36″N 2°38′28″W[15]	Bass Rock	1902	David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	20[16]	46[14]	10[14]
Bell Rock Lighthouse		Angus 56°25′58″N 2°23′17″W[17]	Inchcape	1810	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	36[18]	28[4]	18[4]
Bressay Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°7′12″N 1°7′17″W[19]	Bressay	1858	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[20] (until Sep 2012), Lerwick Port Authority (from 2012)	16[20]	32[20]	23[20], 10[20]
Brough of Birsay Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 59°8′13″N 3°20′21″W	Brough of Birsay	1925[21]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[21]	11[21]	52[4][21]	18[4][21]
Buchan Ness Lighthouse		Aberdeenshire 57°28′13″N 1°46′28″W[22]	mainland	1827[23]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	35[23]	40[4]	18[4]
Butt of Lewis Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 58°30′56″N 6°15′39″W[24]	Isle of Lewis	1862[25]	David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[25]	37[25]	52[4][25]	25[4][25]
Cantick Head Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 58°47′14″N 3°7′53″W[26]	South Walls	1858	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[27]	22[27]	35[27]	13[14], 18[27]
Cape Wrath Lighthouse		Highland 58°37′32″N 4°59′57″W	mainland	1828[28]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[28]	20[28]	122[4]	22[4]
Chanonry Lighthouse		Highland, Fortrose[29] 57°34′26″N 4°5′34″W[29]	mainland	1846[30]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	13[30]	12[30]	15[30]
Cloch lighthouse		Inverclyde 55°56′32″N 4°52′43″W	mainland	1797	Thomas Smith, Robert Stevenson	Clyde Port Authority	23	24[14]	8[14]
Copinsay Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 58°53′47″N 2°40′19″W	Copinsay	1915	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[31]	16[31]	79[4]	21[4]
Corran Point Lighthouse		Highland[32] 56°43′15″N 5°14′32″W[32]	mainland	1817	Thomas Smith, Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[31]	13	12[14]	10[14] (white), 7[14] (red green)
Corsewall Lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway 55°0′25″N 5°9′33″W[33]	mainland	1816	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[34]	34[34]	34	22[35]
Covesea Skerries Lighthouse		Moray, Lossiemouth and Branderburgh[36] 57°43′27″N 3°20′19″W[36]	mainland	1846	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board (until 2012)	36[37]	49[37]	24[37]
Crammag Head Lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway 54°39′53″N 4°57′54″W	mainland	1913	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	7	35[4]	18[4]
Cromarty Lighthouse		Highland 57°40′59″N 4°2′11″W[38]	mainland	1846	Alan Stevenson	Inactive	13[39]	18[39]
Davaar Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 55°25′41″N 5°32′26″W[40]	Island Davaar	1854[41]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson, and John Barr & Co	Northern Lighthouse Board	20[42]	37[4]	23[4]
Dubh Artach Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 56°7′59″N 6°37′58″W[43]	Dubh Artach	1872[44]	Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	38[44]	44[4][44]	20[4][44]
Duncansby Head Lighthouse		Highland 58°38′38″N 3°1′31″W	mainland	1924	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	11	67[14]	22[14]
Dunnet Head Lighthouse		Highland 58°40′17″N 3°22′35″W[45]	mainland	1831[46]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[46]	20[46]	105[4]	23[4]
Eilean Glas Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 57°51′25″N 6°38′31″W[47]	Scalpay	1789[48]	Thomas Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board[48]	30[48]	43[4][48]	23[4][48]
Elie Ness Lighthouse		Fife[49] 56°11′2″N 2°48′46″W[49]	mainland	1908	James Laurie	Forth Ports[50]	11	15[14][51]	17[14]
Esha Ness Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°29′21″N 1°37′38″W[52]	Mainland	1925	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	12[53]	61	25[4]
Fair Isle North Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 59°33′8″N 1°36′35″W[54]	Fair Isle	1892[55]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	14[55]	80[4]	22[4]
South Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 59°30′50″N 1°39′10″W[56]	Fair Isle	1892[57]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	26[57]	32[4]	22[4]
Fidra Lighthouse		East Lothian[58] 56°4′24″N 2°47′6″W[58]	Fidra	1885[50]	David A Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Forth Ports[50]	17[50]	34[4]	15[4]
Fife Ness Lighthouse		Fife 56°16′44″N 2°35′9″W	mainland	1975[59]	Peter H. Hyslop[60]	Northern Lighthouse Board[59]	5[59]	12[4][59]	21[4][59] (white), 20[4][59] (red)
Firths Voe Lighthouse		Shetland Islands[61], Delting[61] 60°27′13″N 1°10′37″W[61]	Mainland	1909	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	9	9	15 (white), 10 (green), 10 (red)
Flannan Isles Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 58°17′18″N 7°35′17″W[62]	Eilean Mòr	1899[63]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[64]	23[64]	101[4][64]	20[4][64]
Foula Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°6′45″N 2°3′50″W	Foula	1986[65]	James Johnson	Northern Lighthouse Board	8	36[65]	18[65]
Girdleness Lighthouse		Aberdeen 57°8′20″N 2°2′55″W[66]	mainland	1833[67]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[68]	37[68]	56[4][14]	22[4][14]
Holburn Head Lighthouse		Highland[69], Thurso[70] 58°36′53″N 3°32′22″W[70]	mainland	1862[71]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Deactivated 2003	17[71]	23[71]	15[71]
Holy Isle Inner Lighthouse		North Ayrshire 55°30′44″N 5°4′13″W	Holy Island	1877	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	17	14[4]	6[4]
Holy Isle Outer Lighthouse		North Ayrshire 55°31′2″N 5°3′39″W	Holy Island	1905	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	23	38[4]	25[4]
Hoxa Head Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 58°49′19″N 3°2′5″W	South Ronaldsay	1901[a]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board
Hoxa Head Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 58°49′19″N 3°2′5″W	South Ronaldsay	1996		Northern Lighthouse Board	7	15[4]	9[4] (white), 6[4] (red)
Hoy Sound High Light		Orkney Islands 58°56′8″N 3°16′23″W	Graemsay	1851[67]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	33	35[14]	20[72] (white), 16[72] (red)
Hoy Sound Low Light		Orkney Islands[73] 58°56′25″N 3°18′36″W[73]	Graemsay	1851[67]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	12	17[14]	12[14]
Hyskeir Lighthouse		Highland 56°58′8″N 6°40′51″W	Hyskeir	1904[74]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[74]	39[74]	41[4][14]	24[4][14]
Inchkeith Lighthouse		Fife 56°2′1″N 3°8′10″W[75]	Inchkeith	1804[76]	Thomas Smith, Robert Stevenson	Forth Ports[76] (from Jun 2013), Northern Lighthouse Board[76] (from 1804 until Jun 2013)	19[76]	67[14]	14[14]
Isle of May Lighthouse		Fife[77] 56°11′8″N 2°33′27″W[78]	Isle of May	1816[79]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[79]	24[79]	73[4]	22[4]
Isle of May Low Light		Fife 56°10′59″N 2°33′7″W	Isle of May	1843
Old Isle of May Lighthouse		Fife[80] 56°11′9″N 2°33′24″W[81]	Isle of May	1635[82]		James Maxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun
Killantringan Lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway 54°51′42″N 5°8′49″W[83]	mainland	1900[84]	David A Stevenson	Deactivated 2007	22[84]	49[84]	25[84]
New Kinnaird Head Lighthouse		Aberdeenshire 57°41′53″N 2°0′15″W[51]	mainland	1991		Northern Lighthouse Board	10	25	22
Kinnaird Head Lighthouse		Aberdeenshire 57°41′51″N 2°0′14″W[85][86][87][88][89][90]	mainland	1787	Thomas Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board (from 1787 until 1991), Museum of Scottish Lighthouses (from 1991)	22
Lady Isle Lighthouse		South Ayrshire 55°31′38″N 4°44′2″W[51]	Lady Isle	1903	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	15	19[14]	11[14]
Lismore Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 56°27′20″N 5°36′27″W[91]	Eilean Musdile	1833	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	26[92]	31[4]	17[4]
Little Cumbrae Old Lighthouse		North Ayrshire[93] 55°43′15″N 4°57′29″W[94]	Little Cumbrae Island	1757	James Ewing
Cumbrae Lighthouse		North Ayrshire 55°43′16″N 4°58′1″W[95]	Little Cumbrae Island	1793	Thomas Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board
Little Cumbrae New Lighthouse		North Ayrshire 55°43′14″N 4°58′2″W	Little Cumbrae Island	1997		Clyde Port Authority		28[14]	14[14]
Little Ross lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway 54°45′57″N 4°5′6″W[96]	Little Ross	1843	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	22	50[4]	12[4]
Lother Rock Light		Orkney Islands 58°43′48″N 2°58′42″W	Lother Rock	1910	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	12	13	6
Old Monach Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 57°31′33″N 7°41′46″W	Shillay	1864	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	41[97]	47[4]	18[4]
New Monach Light		Outer Hebrides 57°31′33″N 7°41′44″W	Shillay	1997		Northern Lighthouse Board	5.5[98]		10
Muckle Flugga Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°51′19″N 0°53′7″W[99]	Muckle Flugga		Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	20[100]	66[4]	22[4]
Mull of Galloway Lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway[101] 54°38′6″N 4°51′26″W[102]	mainland	1830	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	26[103]	99[4]	28[4]
Mull of Kintyre Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 55°18′38″N 5°48′12″W[104]	mainland	1788[105]	Thomas Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board	12[105]	91[4]	24[4]
Neist Point Lighthouse		Highland 57°25′24″N 6°47′18″W[106][107]	Duirinish peninsula	1909[108]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[108]	19[108]	43[4][14][108]	16[4][14][108]
North Rona Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 59°7′17″N 5°48′53″W	Rona	1984		Northern Lighthouse Board	13	114[14]	22[14]
North Ronaldsay Lighthouse		Orkney Islands[109] 59°23′23″N 2°22′53″W[110]	North Ronaldsay	1852	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	42[111]	43[4]	24[4]
Dennis Head Old Beacon		Orkney Islands[112] 59°23′3″N 2°22′17″W[113]	North Ronaldsay	1789[114]	Thomas Smith, Robert Stevenson		21
Noss Head Lighthouse		Highland 58°28′44″N 3°3′3″W[115]	mainland	1849[116]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[116]	18[116]	53[4]	25[4] (white), 21[4] (red)
Noup Head Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 59°19′52″N 3°4′13″W[117]	Westray	1898[118]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[118]	24[118]	79	22
Ornsay Lighthouse		Highland 57°8′36″N 5°46′52″W[119]	Ornsay	1857[120]	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	19[120]	18[14]	12[14]
Bound Skerry Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°25′28″N 0°43′41″W[121]	Bound Skerry	1858[122]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	30[122]	44[4]	20[4]
Oxcars Lighthouse		Fife[123] 56°1′21″N 3°16′49″W[124]	rock	1886[125]	David A Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Forth Ports	22	16	13
Pentland Skerries High Light		Orkney Islands 58°41′25″N 2°55′29″W	Muckle Skerry	1794	Thomas Smith, Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[126]	36[126]	52[126][14]	23[126][14]
Pladda Lighthouse		North Ayrshire 55°25′30″N 5°7′6″W	Pladda	1790[127]	Thomas Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board	29[127]	40[4]	17[4]
Fethaland Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 60°38′3″N 1°18′41″W	Mainland	1977		Northern Lighthouse Board	7	67	19[14] (white), 15 (red)
Point of Sleat Lighthouse		Highland 57°1′6″N 6°1′3″W	Isle of Skye	2003		Northern Lighthouse Board	5	20[14]	9[14]
Rattray Head lighthouse		Aberdeenshire 57°36′36″N 1°48′59″W[128]	rock with causeway	1895[129]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	34[129]	28[4]	18[4]
Rinns of Islay Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 55°40′23″N 6°30′48″W[130]	Orsay	1825[131]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	29[131]	46[4]	24[4]
Rona Lighthouse		Highland 57°34′41″N 5°57′33″W[132]	Rona	1857[133]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[133]	13[133]	69[4][133]	19[4][133]
Rua Reidh Lighthouse		Highland 57°51′32″N 5°48′43″W[134]	mainland	1912[135][136]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[135]	25[135]	37[4][135]	24[4][135]
Rubha nan Gall Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute[137] 56°38′19″N 6°3′58″W[137]	Isle of Mull	1857	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	19	17[4]	15[4]
Ruvaal Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute[138], Killarow and Kilmeny[139][140] 55°56′11″N 6°7′25″W[139][140]	Islay	1859[141]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	34[141]	45[4]	19[4]
Sanda Island Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 55°16′29″N 5°34′58″W	Sanda Island	1850[142]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[142]	15[142]	50[4]	15[4]
Scarinish Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 56°30′1″N 6°48′15″W	Tiree	1897	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	3.5	11	12
Scurdie Ness Lighthouse		Angus 56°42′6″N 2°26′14″W[143]	mainland	1870[67]	David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	39[144]	38[4]	23[4]
Skerryvore Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 56°19′23″N 7°6′58″W[145]	Skerryvore	1844[146]	Alan Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[146]	48[146]	46[4]	23[4]
Southerness Lighthouse		Dumfries and Galloway 54°52′22″N 3°35′43″W[147]	mainland	1749[b]	Deactivated in 1931.		10	17
St. Abbs Lighthouse		Scottish Borders 55°54′58″N 2°8′20″W[148]	mainland	1862[149]	Alan Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	9[150]	68[4]	26[4]
Start Point Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 59°16′39″N 2°22′33″W[151]	Sanday	1806[152]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	25[152]	24[14]	18[14]
Stoer Head Lighthouse		Highland 58°14′24″N 5°24′9″W[153]	mainland	1870[154]	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	National Trust for Scotland, Northern Lighthouse Board	14[154]	59[4]	24[4]
Strathy Point Lighthouse		Highland 58°35′55″N 4°1′7″W[51]	mainland	1958[155]	Peter H. Hyslop[156]	Northern Lighthouse Board (until 2012)	14[155]	45	26
Stroma Lighthouse		Highland 58°41′45″N 3°7′0″W[51]	Island of Stroma	1890	Charles A Stevenson, David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[157]	23[157]	32[14]	20[14][157]
Sule Skerry Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 59°5′3″N 4°24′24″W[158]	Sule Skerry	1895[159]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[159]	27[159]	34[14]	21[4]
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse		Shetland Islands 59°51′14″N 1°16′29″W	Mainland	1821[160]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	17[160]	91[4]	23[4]
Tarbat Ness Lighthouse		Highland[161] 57°51′54″N 3°46′36″W[161]	mainland	1830[162]	Robert Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	41[162]	53[4]	24[4]
Tiumpan Head Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides[163] 58°15′40″N 6°8′20″W[163]	Isle of Lewis	1900[164]	David A Stevenson, Charles A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	21[164]	55[4]	25[4]
Todhead Lighthouse		Aberdeenshire 56°53′2″N 2°12′55″W[165]	mainland	1897[166]	David A Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board (until 2007)	13	41[166]	18[166]
Tor Ness Lighthouse		Orkney Islands 58°46′43″N 3°17′47″W	Hoy	1980[167]	John Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board	8	21[14]	17[14]
Toward Point Lighthouse		Argyll and Bute 55°51′44″N 4°58′47″W[168]	mainland	1812	Robert Stevenson	Clyde Port Authority	19	21[4][14]	22[4][14]
Turnberry Lighthouse		South Ayrshire[169], Kirkoswald[170] 55°19′33″N 4°50′41″W[170]	mainland	1873[171]	David Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board	24	29[4][171]	24[4][171]
Ushenish Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 57°17′54″N 7°11′35″W	South Uist	1857[172]	Thomas Stevenson, David Stevenson	Northern Lighthouse Board[172]	12[172]	54[4]	19[4] (white), 15[4] (red)
Vaternish Lighthouse		Highland 57°36′29″N 6°38′3″W[173]	Isle of Skye	1980[173]		Northern Lighthouse Board	7	21[14]	8[14]
Vaternish Point Lighthouse		Highland 57°36′29″N 6°38′3″W[173]	Isle of Skye	1924	John Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board
Weavers Point Lighthouse		Outer Hebrides 57°36′30″N 7°6′0″W[174]	North Uist	1980[174]	John Smith	Northern Lighthouse Board	4	24[14]	7[14]

See also

• Alan Stevenson, David Stevenson, Robert Stevenson (civil engineer), Robert Louis Stevenson
• Trinity House of Leith
• List of lighthouses and lightvessels
• Lightvessel
• Lighthouses in England
• Lighthouses in Ireland
• Lighthouses in Wales
• List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses

Notes

References

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lighthouses in Scotland.

• Sharma Krauskopf (2001). Scottish Lighthouses. Appletree Press. ISBN 978-0-86281-803-6. OL 9795723M. Wikidata Q105836174.